• Product dimensions (W x D x H): 70 x 65 x 29 mm

• Connectivity:
  • Interfacing: USB 2.0
  • Cable length: 180 cm
  • Power: supplied via USB cable – 5V

• Lens:
  • Focus: autofocus
  • Depth of focus: 50 mm ~ infinity
  • Field of vision: 58° diagonal angle of view in HD, 52° diagonal in 4:3 resolutions

• Sensor:
  • SNR: 39dB
  • Dynamic range: > 69dB
  • Pixel size: 3 x 3 µm
  • Image area: 1280 x 800
  • Sensitivity: 3.3 V/(lux*s)

• Video format:
  • Resolutions: 1280 x 720, also supports smaller resolutions like 640×480, 320×240 and 160×120. Skype uses lower resolutions in case of degraded network or when low-performance hardware is used on either end of the video call.
  • Frame rate:standard definition: 30fps, HD 22.5fps, low light 15fps. Skype may reduce frame rate in case of bad network conditions or high CPU usage on either end.
  • Colour depth: 8-bit
  • Video formats: H.264, YUV2 – Skype automatically switches between the two to grant best video call quality in the given circumstances.

I really think this is a great webcam. It is hard to find any flaws with it. However, there are a couple of flaws — the Everyman HD does not have a built in microphone. This is really unfortunate, especially if you are wanting to use the webcam to record a video. The lack of the microphone along with the lag that comes with recording HD makes for audio that doesn’t sync up properly. Luckily, if you are on a Mac, you should have iMovie or Finalcut and can get the audio back inline.

I definitely recommend the Freetalk® Everyman HD webcam. Great quality, plug n’ play and compact. The price for this great device is $59.50 and available only through Skype. If you’re interested in more information visit Skype.com.

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The application doubleTwist has been out for a while and we have covered it pretty well. Joshua Schnell wrote an article about doubleTwist, and I also did a screencast back in November of 2009. Some changes have happened with the desktop app though. Over the last few months doubleTwist has added the ability to subscribe to podcasts and now Android users can browse the Android market place from the desktop application.

Most recently though, doubleTwist has enabled their Android application to act as a media player. When the Android app first came out, it really offered no user experience. The application was designed to make syncing your Android device easier by automatically mounting the device upon connection to your computer. However, with the latest update this has changed. doubleTwist for Android now has the ability to actually play music, podcasts, playlists, and videos. This is a huge improvement from the original application. Normally this application is priced at $.99, but is currently free for a short time. So if you have an Android device, you may want to check out this app, especially if you use the doubleTwist desktop application currently.

Scan the QR-Code  to download doubleTwist for Android with your Android device.

More Information:

Cult of Mac

DroidGawk

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Business Insider is reporting that a trusted source has confirmed that Apple will be integrating Facebook contact sync into the next iPhone OS. This will be announced at WWDC this June. The current iPhone Facebook app imports contact information from Facebook into the address book for those contacts that are already in the address book. The rumoured iPhone-facebook integration will instead import contact information for everyone you have on Facebook, regardless of whether or not they are already in your address book. However, this could lead to quite the mess for your address book. Many people have started using Facebook as just another Myspace by adding and approving anyone they see.

We could also see more sharing features pop up if this is, in fact, true. Where currently, when you want to share a photo, you don’t have many options, you could soon see a “Share to Facebook” option on that screen

HTC has been doing Facebook contact sync with their Sense UI and it may actually be present on all Android phones. This could be interesting for the recent countersuit by HTC against Apple over all the patent claims.

More Information: Business Insider

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It was only a matter of time before Borders decided to jump on the eBook reader bandwagon. It is surprising that it didn’t happen earlier though. The Kobo eReader will be available this summer, on June 17th, for $149. Yes, that’s right: $149. It is obvious Borders is planning on trying to take over the Kindle and Nook market. The design of the device is pretty similar to the Kindle and Nook as well, other than a huge blue D-pad. Otherwise the device would look pretty sexy. The interface of the Kobo is promising, however; it resembles Delicious Library and the iBooks app.

The Kobo eReader has 1GB of built in memory. Battery life is very similar to other eBook devices. It will also come pre-loaded with 100 classic titles. This will be a huge selling point for many people to get as a gift for some one. Just think, being able to use the device instantly when you get it. Borders is also going to have apps for several platforms including desktop apps, iPhone, and iPad with possibly more apps to come later. This is definitely a device to keep an eye on, and a great gift idea for someone for whom you may not know what to get.

Article Via TUAW

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Ok, so maybe not quite around the corner. As usual, in just 4 months (based on the yearly turnaround in the past) we will be getting the next generation iPod announcement. One has to wonder what exactly will happen with this year’s announcements.

Last year many were caught off guard by the iPod Nano having a video camera and the iPod Touch getting passed up for one. This year I believe we will finally see the iPod Touch getting a huge upgrade. Maybe even an entire larger format to make an actual iPad Mini. I think we will see a camera in this model and even have a 3G version with GPS to work with the AT&T data plan like the iPad.

The Nano was kind of disappointing to some because it only had video capabilities, and this year I think we will actually see support to take still pictures.

Of course size is always an issue, though I believe the Touch will probably stay where it is at, I think the nano will go 16GB and 32GB versions.

The iPod Classic will probably get a slight update storage wise, but that will likely be the extent of it. That is if Apple even keeps the classic around much longer.

My biggest hope is that apple announces a new version of the Apple TV. It is time for an upgrade and there are so many ways to make the device even better than it already is currently.

Finally, some rumors are already spreading that we will see the iPad get a version with a built in camera. While I don’t agree with this, it is very possible. I think Apple will hold off until February before they announce any kind of update to the iPad.

What are you guys hearing around the grape vine?  We’d love to know.

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Recently, the founder of Posterous wrote up an article positing that the finder is dead. He believes that files, folders and documents will cease to exist on a computer. Needless to say, it was an interesting read. That said, I disagree with the concept.

Sure, we are moving further away from actually using the “Finder” or taking full advantage of file systems. Our phones work almost completely off of apps, but can we really live with out them? When it comes to an actual computer, I like to have my files where I need them. Sure,there are tools that help me organize my files like iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie and more. There is even iDocuments which I did a screencast on in a recent macgasm video cast, but the files still need to exist. We can’t trust every thing in the cloud, and most people aren’t going to want their files archived and to be only accessible through certain apps.

If we want to dig deeper, we have to look at the apps that we would use as well. First, all file formats would have to be able to work across all applications. Can you imagine the pain of writing a paper in one app, then finding a new app that is better and having to actually make a whole new copy of that? Lets take photos for example if that doesn’t click. Lets say you use iPhoto to import your photos from your camera, but you want to use the Photoshop app that doesn’t allow you to import directly from the camera to do some hardcore editing. What if it wont read the format of the pictures you just imported and the only way to get them to read is by exporting those photos to the other app and taking up even more space on your hard drive? It just doesn’t make sense to me at all.

Sure, there would be some app that we could use to make things make more sense, but do we really need to live in an app ran world outside of our iPhones, iPod touch, and other cell phones? I think not.

More Information: Is finder dead?

Photo Credit: Ambient Damage

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People are excited about the iPad. There is no question about that, but are we going to see more app rejections because of this? Apple has policies that don’t quite make sense to the outside world. We can’t get replacement mail apps or replacement SMS apps for the iPhone. We don’t get the Google Voice app because it duplicates iPhone functionality. So, what will the new trend be for the iPad?

The iPad is being promoted as the ultimate eBook reader. Apple is launching their own iBook Store, so does that mean that all of the books that are currently in the app store will be removed? What about Readers like Stanza or, more importantly, Amazon’s own Kindle app? Apple is going after the eBook market aggressively, so it seems like a logical extension that Apple would want to eliminate their competition.

Sadly, if Apple were to reject apps like Kindle, Stanza, and Classics, this would ruin the iPad for a portion of the potential user base — even myself. I am currently planning on purchasing an iPad. As a Kindle user, all of my books are in the Kindle format. If I lost access to my library of eBooks, I would be less than pleased. We are still a few weeks away from the launch of the iPad, so let’s hope that Apple doesn’t try to assassinate the competition.

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While the patent itself doesn’t provide a ton of info like some other patents we have seen, it does look like it is possible that the new version may be an actual HDTV. A majority of the focus looks to be on the IR Remote system and new abilities for it to work.

I personally would like to see apple allow an external Hard drive to be used to store media alongside the apple TV. For some one like myself, 160 GB is not enough room for my iTunes movies. Especially since when I do purchase a DVD or Blu-ray disc it has a digital copy. If apple does go the route of an actual HDTV, they will have to be more open with it. If they run it as a closed system and don’t allow people to connect their cable or an antenna to the tv, they will be killing their own product.

I will definitely be keeping an eye on this story. Maybe we will see a new apple tv by September when they announce the new line of iPods.

More Information: Apple Granted Patent for Next Generation Apple TV Technology

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Today, January 26 2010, google updated their google voice web app with a whole new look. This is a drastic change from their first web app. You can send and receive SMS through the app. When placing a call though, you will input the number you want to call and google will then call you so it can connect the call. It is still a bit of a work around, but now it is in a much prettier package. Sadly this is probably as close as iPhone users will ever get to an actual Google Voice application, unless they jailbreak their phones.

[Image Credit: TampaBay.com]

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I’ve found that I can do so much more with my Android-based phone. It does so much more than my iPhone, and it does it faster. That said, I kept the hope alive. I left my iPhone’s AT&T account active until January 5th. I had every intention of keeping my iPhone activated, but it has gone completely unused since October. AT&T, in my neck of the woods at least, has the best coverage. Letting it go, for that reason alone, was a very difficult decision.

You may ask “Why would you leave AT&T and your iPhone”? Well, the problem is paying $110.00 USD a month to have phone service. This isn’t 1990 when a cell phone plan cost that much for 50 minutes of talk time. This is ten years into the new millennium, and paying that kind of money for cell phone service is a bit steep. Albeit, there are substantially more features available now.

What really made dumping AT&T difficult was talking to the rep over the phone. She was so nice, and she tried so hard to keep me as a customer. The problem kept coming down to monthly service fees. Sure, I could save a bunch of money if I went with throw-away flip phone, but I am a geek. I must have a smart phone. Sadly, I will not be returning to using an iPhone unless Apple makes some drastic changes in the iPhone OS. The lack of customization is a real deal breaker to me. Also, background processes are an absolute must. I get 26 hours of battery on my Android-based phone despite using it more than I ever used my iPhone. My iPhone with that same usage would die after about 5 hours. Apple, you are good with computers. Maybe you should go back to being a computer and MP3 player company. Leave the cell phones for the people that know what they are doing.

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But this post really isn’t about all the free apps in the app store. This is about developers releasing their app for free, then putting a price on it. I understand needing to make some money, but I have a real problem with a developer thinking that since their app was more popular than they thought it would be, they should start charging. They update their free version to strip down features and put ads in, and they make the new paid version the old free app. This has happened to more than a few apps that I have downloaded and it is really irritating. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem paying for an app. I have paid for most of the apps on my iPhone and iPod Touch. I don’t even have a problem with a developer releasing a 2.0 version of the app that is paid. But don’t strip out features just because you want to make some money on your app. Either keep it free, or release it as a paid app from the get go.

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But today TomTom has released TomTom USA. TomTom USA includes maps for all 50 states and is available for sale only in the US and Canada. It has also been released at the special introductory price of $49.99. So if you have been waiting to get the TomTom app for your iPhone, Now may be the time to do so.

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BusyCal is a powerful iCal replacement application. Created by BusyMac, the same people that brought you BusySync. BusyCal allows you to easily synchronize your iCal calendar with your Google Calendar and even share your calendars through LAN. Now you may be thinking that this is something you can do in iCal already. But this isn’t just a simply replacement. This application is made for the power users that want more than the basic functions that iCal offers.

At first look, BusyCal looks a lot like iCal. This actually helps a lot when trying to get used to the application. Many of the same features are present as well. If you have used iCal in the past, then using BusyCal will be a breeze to you. But it does so much more. You can add the weather forecast to your calendar, which I immediately did. I was also able to immediately see everything that I had in iCal over in my new BusyCal window. I went ahead and made BusyCal my default calendar and test that they two calendars actually worked together. Of course it was seamless. That to me really is the first selling point, if you are using BusyCal and accidentally open iCal and don’t realize it, your event you added will be in BusyCal. That actually happend to me a few times.The other thing that I really liked about the application was the ability to add graphics to your events. This comes in very handy for a nice quick visual of what is coming up. If you are having a skype conference call, you can put the skype logo with the event. There are tons of ways to make this useful and cute. I can see a lot of people spending a ton of time putting images with events. Something else that I saw myself using quite a bit was the Stickies feature. Being able to just throw up a quick sticky on a date for some extra info about things was fantastic. There were some features that I didn’t use and those were Journal and Banner. I really didn’t find much use, mostly because I didn’t know what I should use them for or what the difference really was.

Overall I would give BusyCal a 4 out of 5. It is super powerful but can be a little confusing if you don’t spend a lot of time in it. Thankfully there is a great guide on their site on how to use BusyCal. BusyCal is also a little on the pricey side. It is $40 USD, however like every thing I review, there is a trial period so you can try before you buy. I think if you give it a try and you are a power user, you will get a ton of use out of this calendar. It has been my primary calendar for months.

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iTunes is a terrific app, especially if you have an iPod or iPhone. But what if you have decided to stop using iPods or maybe you have another phone that you want to put your iTunes music on? That is where doubleTwist comes in to play. With doubleTwist you can sync your iTunes library with just about any phone and tons of different mp3 players, you can even sync your PSP with it. Granted, doubleTwist is a separate application, but it is well worth the look at. I use it constantly with my HTC Hero. Another great feature is having the Amazon mp3 store at your fingertips from within the application. But enough of this reading about it, watch the screencast and see for yourself.

The Screencast

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While testing this app out I used it two ways. These are the same ways I use my other GPS. I used it as just a dashboard/seat side map and then used it to get me to a specific location. Using it as a map it was fairly accurate to where I was traveling. Some of the street names were a bit off, But here in Missouri most our streets have 2 – 3 names. Timing of the map moving was normal as well as compared to my other GPS. Some areas were also a little off, but that I can blame on my area growing and new places and streets being built. For all intents and purposes though, it was very accurate.

Now when entering an address, the app seemed to get a little confusing. You put in the city, then it asks for the street and also suggests street. That is where it confuses me. I don’t want to see options when I am trying to enter information like that. I also feel that it should ask for the address first or give me the option to skip. But that may just be me. After getting all the info in I proceeded on my route. Now, I tested this 2 times. The first time I went the way that I go every day, which is a backwards way to get to my job. The app did as expected. It freaked out! The TomTom app wanted me to go the easy route and I didn’t want to. Every time I went the way I go, it wanted me to turn around. It didn’t say “make a u-turn” but it would imply it. Eventually the app stopped trying to figure me out and let me drive with out giving me any instructions until getting within 2 miles of my destination. This seemed odd to me, I feel the app should have recalculated based on my current route to help me. Again I was being a stubborn driver. The next test, I followed the apps instruction all the way. I arrived at my destination with little problems. It was accurate and took me on the standard route.

I would like to see some changes to the app. It is kind of discouraging when a GPS app gives up on you when you don’t listen to it. I think easier navigation through the menus would be nice. Recalculations based on your current route would be a nice addition as well. I am not sure if TomTom will be offering free map updates or not, or if it will be a cheap update used with in app purchases. But I think that should be an option and I am sure we will find out more later on that. All in all, I think that this is a pretty nice app. I still believe it is a bit pricey, but after seeing all the work that they put into this and the accuracy to bring it up to par with their other devices, I can understand the price. If you are a TomTom fan and use their products and have been happy with them in the past, then I say go for it. You can find more info on the TomTom iPhone app on their website.

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So let me tell you about this great device that has won me over. The HTC hero runs the HTC version of android called “Sense” The UI is absolutely beautiful. Instead of using push for services, they actually run in the background. This is super handy for little things like google latitude or loopt for location services. But benefits for running in the background get much better. If you have to leave an app for something, when you go back it is where you left off. Another great part is if you are a last.fm user, when listening to your music on the device, the last.fm app scrobbles live! I don’t have to sync and wait for my computer to do it’s thing. The Android Market place is simple to use and again, after you purchase your app (free or paid) it downloads in the background while you do what you want to do. Purchasing music couldn’t be easier either. Android uses amazon mp3 for music purchases and downloads directly to your device. To get the music on your computer just hook up the phone through USB and mount the disk, then just drag your songs out of the music folder. But the biggest thing is expandable memory and replaceable battery. The HTC hero uses Micro SDHC cards, it comes with 2GB but I recently just replaced it with a 16GB.

The android platform in my opinion blows the iPhone OS out of the water. I really enjoy using it and the customization is fantastic. Unlike with the iPhone, the android platform is not locked down, I can do what I wish with my hero and not have to worry. I can stream video too and from the phone, and most the apps from the apple app store are actually in the android market place. So in closing, if you are thinking of leaving your iPhone, or you have never purchased an iPhone and are just looking for a new phone, look into the android phones. More are coming out, and android is gaining momentum. Android is a true competitor to apple.

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Oh and here is a tip. Go for the family pack and gift it out or share and you can pick up the app for $15!

[Update]

I just received and email from Ruben with Mailplane and he had this to add.

1) Mailplane is fully Snow Leopard compatible – the missing label creating isn’t related to it.

2) Label creation from ?-L: This is a Mailplane 2.1 feature, which is still in beta.

3) Family license: It’s for up to 5 users living in the same household.

4) Using the “Multiple Inbox” lab feature w/ Mailplane may cause some problems with keyboard shortcuts.

Now, I am still having issues adding new labels. but I am going to tinker around and see if it is something that I did to cause that issue. For the Family license, I still think it is a great deal and if you have several members in your household with macs that use gmail, it is a great option.

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iSkin ProTouch covers your keyboard to protect it from spills, dust, oily finger prints, crumbs and more. The ProTouch is made of a high quality silicone. It goes on easy and stays put, which is really nice. It does take some getting used to. It comes in a few different styles as well, though they are basically the same with added features. ProTouch Classic offers just your basic protection on your keys. It is clear, so you can see every thing on your keyboard clearly. The ProTouch FX, the model I have, comes in 3 colors. While the basic cover is translucent, the keys come in black, red and blue. If you have a backlit keyboard you can see the light through the skin. The skin itself also glows in the dark, perfect for when you don’t want to waste your batter in the dark on backlit keys. The ProTouch Vibe offers the exact same benefits as the FX, only it is geared more towards the fashionable user. Vibes offers a few different colors and patters on the skin.

After using the ProTouch from iSkin for about a month, I can say that I can’t live without it. It does have a drawback though. Because it is made of silicone it does get dirty and dusty. However you can wash it and make it nice again. This is something that I will be getting for my macbook and since they make them for the apple wireless keyboard, I will be getting one for it as well. Prices range from $24.99 – $34.99. Head on over to iSkin’s website and pick one up today.

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Dropbox is your cloud file storage that stays synced on all your computers. They have a free version which provides you with 2GB of storage. Pro 50 plan gives you 50GB of storage for $9.99 a year month and Pro 100 gives you 100GB for $19.99 a year month. Dropbox works with Mac, Windows, and Linux, and your files are also accessible through their website. You can store any kind of file you want and even put files in a public folder to share the link to the page with anyone you choose. Here at Macgasm from my account I have a macgasm folder that I share access with so when I upload a file, Josh gets an email and can do all the dirty work. It works great for that. But even better, you can eliminate carrying around those flash drives. Just use Dropbox and you are taken care of.

On the iPhone app you can view files, share files via email, mark favorites and upload video and pictures! When you mark a file as a favorite, it downloads its contents to your iPhone so you always have access to it. Great for when you might have slow service or no service. As for uploading video and photos, the biggest use I see for this is when you are at the Apple store getting ready to see a genius about your iPhone. Let’s face it, we don’t know if we are getting it back and if you just took pictures or video beforehand, you may lose it all. So that will work as a great backup option on the go! And did I mention the iPhone app is free? So go download dropbox<itunes link> for the iPhone now, you can sign up for an account within the app.

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Let’s start with the Pedometer. First, for those that don’t know, a pedometer is normally a little device you clip to your belt to measure the steps you take in a day. This is now built into the iPod Nano. It works by using the accelerometer and the Nike plus software. This is probably the most used feature of the Nano. I turn it on, put the iPod on hold and let it do its counting as I do my work. When I get home from work, I plug my Nano into the computer, sync it with iTunes and I get sent to the Nike+ website to see my progress! It keeps track of everything. The site makes it fun by the goals it sets for you, and you can even share your status on Facebook. Pretty slick, and I would consider this a free feature.

These next two I will cram in one section, because there really isn’t a whole lot to say about it. The built-in memo recorder is based off of the iPhone version. It allows you to record memos, notes and lectures and keep in your pocket. You can listen to your notes via headphones or even the built-in speaker. The Nano now has built-in speakers. Oh, and if you haven’t figured it out, there is a built-in mic too, but that is because of the video. Ok. Enough on memos. Now for probably the dumbest feature on the Nano: Radio. Ok, to some it may be a great thing. I personally do not listen to the radio at all. I have listened to nothing but an iPod in my car for the last 3 years. Though Apple has made it worth listening to radio on the Nano for the simple fact that you can tag songs you like and download them from iTunes later. That is, of course, if your local stations support tagging. The downfall to the FM radio is you have to use headphones to listen to the radio. This is of course because the Nano uses the copper in the headphones as an antenna to receive the signal.

Ok, and now for the drumroll! VIDEO!!! So this is a feature that I thought was stupid. But after playing with it, I have to say I really like it. Unfortunately the video that I shot to show the quality really doesn’t do a ton of justice to the actual quality. I have been very impressed so far. Of course it isn’t great in low light, But it has satisfactory quality for me. It has replaced my flip video for the simple fact that it is easier to carry around and I already have it on me. When retrieving the video from the Nano, just open up iPhoto and you are set. However, if you are going to edit the video at all, you should export the video using the export tool. I say this because some video sites for whatever reason will not recognize the files audio when you upload it with out doing a proper export. Another tip when exporting from iPhoto is that when you export it will try to export it as a JPEG, you want to export the Original file. Otherwise you may not get the results you want.

I have to say for the price of the last Nano, this is a good deal. If you don’t care about these features then don’t upgrade, But if you just want one of them, you might as well go for it. I am happy I spent the money. The iPod Nano comes in two sizes and several colors you can pick up the 8GB version for $149.99 and the 16GB version for $179.99.

For more information on the iPod Nano with Video please visit the apple website

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More Info: http://hashbangind.com

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WildCharge provides a great technology to wirelessly charge your iPhone or even iPod Touch. Ok, there is a wire involved, but this isn’t a wire you plug into your iPhone. All you have to do is plug in your WildCharge pad into the wall, and put your adapter skin on your iPhone and you are set to go. The skin that goes on your iPhone has the iPod connector built into it. This then runs through the skin going to 4 metal dots on the back of the case. When you set your iPhone down on the charging pad, the iPhone immediately begins to charge. It is magic! I have had the pleasure to have one of these in my possession for the past couple of weeks and using it every day to test.

My biggest complaint from the whole thing is the lack of ability to sync the iPhone with it in this case. This could be solved with either some kind of hardware update by WildCharge or by an iPhone firmware update to allow us to sync wirelessly through bluetooth. I would rather it be the firmware update myself. But besides that one draw back, this is a great device. My iPhone has never stayed more charged. I come home from work and set my phone down on the pad at my desk. If I need to use my iPhone or go some where, I don’t need to mess with unplugging any thing just to do what I need to do.

This is definitely a must have in my book and it is super affordable! You can pick up the WildCharge Bundle, which includes the Charging pad and the iPhone Skin for $79.99. After a while if the skin starts to wear out like skins do, you can replace just the skin and not have to buy a whole kit again. Well worth it in my book.

You can find out more about WildCharge at http://www.wildcharge.com

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But why do I bring this up? I mean shortcuts aren’t really mysteries are they? Well recently I stumbled across a shortcut on my Macbook Pro that launches a quick add event window for iCal. This command is ? + Space. Normally this launches full screen quick view in finder and in other applications it does other tasks. But when I use this shortcut and where in any application I get an “Add Event” window. I have been trying to track it down, but haven’t had much luck. I have checked every where that I could think of, Even in the Keyboard Shortcuts preferences. It is driving me crazy! I could over look it if I knew how it happened, But it is a complete mystery to me. So my question to you is, have you ever found a keyboard shortcut that was a complete mystery to you about how it got there? If so, let us know in the comments, and if you have any insight to this phenomena, let us know that too.

UPDATE: Well a friend of mine on Brightkite pointed out on a screenshot from a couple days ago a desktop calendar app I have been running, asking if it could be the culprit. Sure enough, The only app I didn’t check was iDesk-Cal. So thanks to BarkerJA on brightkite and twitter for your help.

iDesk-Cal is also an app I will be reviewing soon and showing off some features to.

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iFrogz: I have to say, iFrogz was the first company that I ever purchased an iPod case from. They are super affordable, have awesome sales, and also have a huge selection of protection for your iPod and iPhone. The only thing they don’t carry is cases for your MacBook Pro. They carry any where from silicone to hard plastic cases for the iPhone and great colors too. I have yet to use any of their hard shell cases, but their silicone cases are in my opinion the best on the market. I know, it isn’t always cool to have a case for your jesus phone, But you will be happy with iFrogz.

iSkin: Maybe one of the more popular case makers out there, iSkin offers a pretty nice variety of protection for your iPhone and iPods. I have only used a couple of their cases though. By far my favorite case that iSkin offers is the Revo 2. It offers full protection of your iPhone including screen protection! Now I don’t mean just one of those little flimsy films, I am talking about a chunk of plastic that sits over the screen. It does get annoying though at times, so when I use the case, the screen guard is only on when the iPhone is in my pocket. The great thing about iSkin is they are always introducing new styles of cases for you.

Griffin: Probably the most complete line of apple gear in general, Griffin offers great iPhone, iPod and Mac cases. My favorite case from Griffin though, is the Clarifi. For those of us that have the 3G it is a crucial case for us. The Clarifi gives us the ability to take macro shots with our iPhone. This case is perfect for people like me who use evernote all the time. Any time I get a receipt or business card I snap a picture of it with my iPhone using the clarifi case. I get crystal clear and readable results. On top of that, they also offer some MacBook Pro cases.

Brenthaven: And finally something that isn’t iPod related. Though some may argue with me here, I consider laptop bags to be cases. They offer protection and hold our stuff. Brenthaven is the only laptop bags that I will buy for my macs. I have two currently (one for my MacBook and one for my MacBook Pro) and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Brenthaven has some of the best bags out there and they are practically indestructible. They even have some videos up for some of their bags showing some crazy stuff.

These are of course just a few of the options out there. But these are my top picks. Check them out. Also tell us your favorite cases in the comments.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

We would also like to thank RecordStudio for their support in being an advertiser with us. To have such great people, companies and other organizations like RecordStudio advertising with us, lets us know we are doing something right.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

But let’s get back on track. 1Password 3 is on the horizon and Agile is offering early upgrades. If you upgrade early you will save 33% off the regular upgrade price. But that’s not all, you will also be able to be part of the beta process. Now if you have purchased a license after February 1, 2009, you already have a version 3 license. Remember though if you use the beta, that it is not fully functional and may have some bugs. So if you are depending on 1password for a lot of things, I would wait until the final release.

Now like every one, Agile was caught a little off guard by the release of Snow Leopard. Everyone was made aware that it would be mid to late September for its release, so 1Password is not quite ready for Snow Leopard. But they do have a wonderful post on how to use 1Password and snow leopard You can find it here.

For up to the minute details from 1password just go to their site at 1Password.com

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Ricky: Ricky needs to find his little brother Parry. With over 75 levels, 4 worlds and 4 bosses this has to be one of the most addicting games I have played on the iPhone. The game has a Super Mario Bro’s feel to it. Ricky himself wears a Mario hat but looks like Kirby. The graphics in this game are phenomenal. Unlike some other games on the iPhone, Ricky gets more and more difficult with every level. And like Super Mario Bro’s each level is timed. This is a must buy in my book. <iTunes Link>

Paper Toss World Tour: If you really enjoy little time wasters, then you will probably love this game. World Tour is the second game in the Paper Toss series. Basic concept of the game is you tossing a wad of paper into a waste basket. You enemy is wind and distance. In World Tour, every time you get at least 3 paper balls in a row into the trash can, you get a new level added. With each level the distance between you and the waste basket increases. With the increase in distance, the harder the level is. This is a great time waster for when you are waiting in line or waiting for class to start.<iTunes Link>

Some Other games you may want to look into:

Arcade Bowling
Golden Axe
Book Worm
Enigmo

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

[Download in HD]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

Update: The app is now in the US Store for $99 USD!

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

[download in hd]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

First I want to thank Griffin Technology for supplying us with two awesome Giveaways. It is always great to get this kind of support from companies. If you want, you can even thank Griffin yourself by sending them an @reply on twitter

This round, we are giving away the Griffin AirCurve. The AirCurve is designed to work with all current iPhones. This includes the original iPhone, the 3G and the 3GS. What the AirCurve does that is so unique is it enhances the built in speaker of your iPhone to make it louder! That’s right, no wires and no batteries needed. Below is my review.

This giveaway will run until August 10th.

Review:

I purchased the AirCurve by Griffin just a few weeks after it was released. I had no clue what to even think of it. How would it improve my speaker on my iPhone? I have been pleasantly surprised, though. Now this isn’t going to give you amazing sound out of your speaker of your iPhone, but what it does do is amplify your speaker. What you get is a two-piece acrylic block that has a canal through it. The canal starts where your iPhone sits and gradually gets larger, amplifying the sound as it goes. This is one of the few things that I own two of and keep on on my desk at all times. You can run your sync cable into the AirCurve and connect it to your iPhone so you can listen to Podcasts and Audiobooks without draining your power. I have several Macs and only keep my iTunes items on one. I am not always around my iMac, so the AirCurve goes many places with me. Great for travel, and eliminates having to use your earbuds with you are just chilling in your hotel room wanting to listen to music or whatever. But remember, this isn’t going to make your iPhone sound better. If it did, this would be the Jesus product to go with the Jesus phone.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

More Info:

http://www.acrylicapps.com/times/

[download in HD]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

[download in HD]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

I have been using the app for about a week and have tested it both on my iPhone 3G and my 1st gen iPod Touch. I have to say on the iPhone the app works pretty well. The only time I had any issues with in on my iPhone is when I left 3G coverage and went to edge or from wifi to cellular networks. At that point Jamendo actually would stop working and I would have to manually start it again. But that is really just a small hiccup. Any other time I had no problems with it. I never had to wait for buffering while on a cellular network. To me that was probably the most impressive part.

Running Jamendo on the iPod Touch was a different experience though. I had a lot of buffering issues while running this on the touch. This could be for many reasons though. My touch is a 1st gen model, so the wifi is a bit slower. My touch has also been rather flaky with about every thing in recent months. My iPhone had no problems while using the app on my Wifi network at home.

Overall, I say this is a must for any one that loves music. Especially if you enjoying discovering different types of music. The user interface is simple and easy to learn, even my father could learn to use it. So go out, download it and give it a try.

More Info:

Jamendo iPhone app [iTunes Link]

Jamendo

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

[download in HD]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

This time we are giving away the Griffin Clarifi. The Clarifi is made for the iPhone 3G and will fit and work on the 3GS. The Clarifi is outfitted with a lens that you can slide over your iPhones built in camera to take clearer and sharper pictures. This is the case designed to make Evernote even more useful on the iPhone

Review:

I have had the pleasure of having a Griffin Clarifi since it came out, and it is by far my favorite iPhone case. It is also the only case that I have on my iPhone 99% of the time. It only comes off when I am traveling and I need to use my Incase Power Slider. The Clarifi is made of polycarbonate and has a lens that slides over your iPhones built in camera. This lens is really the show stealer of this case though. The lens is designed to help enhance your iPhones camera. Making images clearer and more sharp. The case was designed to work with apps like Evernote and Barcode scanning applications. Of course I got it because of Evernote. The design of the Clarifi is nice and thin, it adds very limited bulk to your iPhone and you probably wont even notice it is on there. The lens comes in handy when you want to snap a picture of a business card are a receipt. You will get a nice clear image, which is near impossible with the unenhanced built in camera. The case also offers great protection of the iPhone and allows full access to all your controls and ports. If you have a charging dock, the bottom of the clarifi will come off so you can cradle the iPhone with out removing the whole case. This to me is the most essential iPhone case made to date. It is nice and stylish while also providing great functionality and usability.

Update: Our very own Jason Hamilton pointed out on Twitter that the clarifi works well with the 3G S phone and its macro capabilities.

Winner will be selected on July 4th

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

I called AT&T to verify, just to see if I myself could get break this friday. I was told no. Why, Because even though I am an iPhone 3G customer, I for one did not own the first gen, and therefore my contract will not allow me full upgrade discounts until december. Wait, did I hear that right? If I would have dropped $699 on the first iPhone and had AT&T, then upgraded to the iPhone 3G, I would be eligible to upgrade for a full subsidized price this friday. Well that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. But what can you do.

I have to say, the whole press release is very misleading, and it is a shame that AT&T wont extend this offer to all 3G customers. The bigger shame will come when these people are able to upgrade, and then 6 months later the new iPhone Super Newton will be announced and they will want to upgrade again.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

But you may be asking, “Corey, Why are you bringing this up?” Well recently I found a site that has a flash version of Number Munchers and it is simply called numbermunchers.org . So now I leave you, but if you have ever wanted to relive a truly great Game from the 80′s and early 90′s, go to the site and play away.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

CyTV is under the GNU license, But if you like the software, donations are always welcome. If you have an EyeTV device, I encourage you to give this software a go and let us know what you think about it, and give the developer your feedback as well.

More info:

CyTV Website

Elgato (Maker of EyeTV)

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

More Info:

http://www.google.com/quicksearchbox/

[download in HD]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

The first new feature is “Find my iPhone”. This can come in handy for several things. First if you have misplaced or left your iPhone somewhere, you will now have the ability to locate it. This is done through the MobileMe website. You will get a view of your iPhone’s location on a map and be able to see where it is. You will also be able to send a message or sound to your phone with this service. So if someone has found your iPhone, they can see the message that you send with contact information for you. If you happen to misplace your iPhone in your own home, you can send a sound alert and track it by sound in your home. This works with your sound on or off! If you are like me at all, you have misplaced your iPhone in your house while it is on vibrate a few times.

Next is “Remote Wipe”. This really falls under Locating your iPhone, but I feel it deserved its own spotlight. So you have lost your iPhone and you have important things on it or have no hope of getting it back. Now through MobileMe you have the ability to completely wipe your iPhone with out having it in front of you. So if you use your iPhone for work and have some client info on it or phone numbers of famous people, you can now wipe it and keep all that info safe.

And finally we have Mobile iDisk. Mobile iDisk will be an iPhone app from apple that allows you to see your iDisk from your iPhone. This is very handy if you keep a lot of important notes on your iDisk. You can view several file types on your iPhone in this app as well. If you have friends or colleagues that use MobileMe and they have a public folder in use, you can view that with their permission from your iPhone as well. This is something I have been wanting from apple for a long time.

A side note to the iDisk app. Last week I reviewed Airsharing pro that enables this. I still stand behind AirSharing Pro. However I feel that Avatron my have opened apples eyes to see that people want this functionality.

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.

History:

Avatron Software was founded by Dave Howell in 2008 after the iPhone SDK was announced. By June 2008, Avatron had 3 employees, all very experienced Mac developers. Then the brainstorming began by sifting through ideas to fill a need in the market, AirSharing was born. Originally, there was nothing like it in the app store. By the time of release, there were already a couple in the app store though. One of the apps had to work with Desktop Software and the other was only made for the Mac platform. This is where AirSharing had the advantage. With AirSharing you didn’t need anything but the app and to have wifi on. That’s it.

For the first two weeks of its release, AirSharing was free in the app store. It quickly became the #1 downloaded app. Even after they started charging $4.99 they still continued to sell. That says a lot for an app. Eight months later, AirSharing Pro came to life.

AirSharing Pro:

The Pro Version retails for $9.99 and it is worth every penny. With the Pro version, you have the ability to connect to your MobileMe iDisk, FilesAnywhere account, Box.net account, MyDisk.se and other WebDAV servers you may have. Also you don’t have to be on wifi to access these accounts. You also have the ability to print to a network printer and even email a file. Now when you email AirSharing uploads what you want to email to Drop.io and then launches mail app and emails a link. But this feature works great. You can even view Zipped Documents.

Like most people, I wondered about DropBox support. DropBox is not currently supported. This is because of the current lack of API for DropBox. Avatron plans on DropBox support very soon.

All in all, I recommend buying this app. Either regular AirSharing or the Pro version. Both are worth every penny. I have both. If you are debating on the ability to use the features in the Pro version, you can get a MyDisk.se account for free. So check them out.

More info:

Avatron Software

AirSharing [iTunes Link]

AirSharing Pro [iTunes Link]

Macgasm - Apple Tips, Apple News, Apple Everything.